Although there is a global trend towards reducing printing in order to become more environmentally friendly and work towards a lower carbon footprint, the paperless office is far from a reality.
So says Heinrich Pretorius, OKI product specialist at DCC, who notes that contracts, business cards and other essential documents still need to be physically printed, and the printer remains a vital piece of office equipment.
However, he notes that for environmentally conscious organisations, eco-friendly features are also a consideration.
These include the ability to print double-sided to reduce paper consumption, high capacity toner cartridges to reduce waste from consumables, toner save functions for draft documents, Energy Star certification and power save modes that can reduce power consumption when the printer is not in use, he explains.
According to Pretorius, purchasing a printer based on pricing alone and not workload requirements can lead to premature failure of the printer. He points out that specific business requirements and volumes of printing are often overlooked when selecting a business printer with companies often focusing on the cost alone.
While it may seem less expensive to buy a less costly printer, he says if these and other factors are not taken into account, the total cost of ownership could end up far exceeding the initial savings.
"Choosing a business printer requires careful consideration and a number of areas should be examined to ensure maximum value, productivity and efficiency," he says.
"Choosing the right printer requires an understanding of business needs and requirements. The first and foremost consideration is the volume of printing. If high print volumes are required, it is essential to purchase a printer that can cope with this need. A good way of gauging this is to look at the duty cycle of the printer, which gives an indication of the volumes the printer can handle on a monthly basis. Workhorse printers can often handle up to 200 000 pages per month, which will ensure the printer does not fail due to overuse."
He notes that print volumes also relate to the toner and paper trays of the printer. Printing large numbers of documents with low or standard yield toner cartridges means that these consumables will need to be replaced frequently becoming an additional expense to the organisation, he says.
To Pretorius, some other factors to bear in mind include the number of users who need to access the device as well as print speeds and print quality. Many printers can now be easily networked, but businesses need to understand whether they need to be physically networked using an Ethernet cable to a server, or whether wireless networking is available. It is also critical to check the number of devices that can be networked to the printer, he urges.
"Print speeds are also important since large documents can take a long time to print at low speeds. Enterprise-class printers can offer time to first print at five seconds, as well as up to 52 pages per minute, ensuring that large volumes of documents can be printed quickly and efficiently," notes Pretorius.
He mentions that security is another factor that needs to be considered, particularly in large enterprises where sensitive documents are printed.
"It is important to have encryption functionality as well as secure networking. In addition, PIN codes to release print jobs can ensure that unauthorised personnel cannot simply walk past the printer and pick up documents that are not theirs," says Pretorius.
"Printers are an essential piece of office equipment in many businesses, and need to fit the business and its requirements if they are to deliver value," says Pretorius. "By taking into account print volumes, print speeds, networking, security and the features of the printer, organisations can ensure they purchase the right device for their needs, increasing value and lowering the total cost of ownership while maximising productivity and efficiency," he says.
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